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From: "P. McGregor" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] APG Digest, Vol 3, Issue 129
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:16:17 -0500
References: <mailman.117193.1203790413.18604.apg@rootsweb.com>


Some Canadian (4th generation Toronto) input:

The grandmother I knew best was called Gramma or Gram - that was my mother's
mother. My maternal grandfather died when I was 3. My father's parents were
in Saskatchewan, and I think I maybe saw them twice, so I'm not sure what
we called them. I know my mom refered to them as "your Grandfather and
Grandmother McGregor".
My Toronto cousins' kids called their grandfather (my uncle) Papa

I remember my mother and her sisters referring to their maternal grandmother
as Mama (pronounced Muh'ma) - their grandfather died long before they were
born. Their paternal grandparents were Grandad and Nana.

Patty McGregor
with the sun shining in wintery Ottawa
----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 1:13 PM
Subject: APG Digest, Vol 3, Issue 129


>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Names for grandparents (John Wylie)
> 2. Re: Names for grandparents (Bob Velke)
> 3. Re: Nicknames for grandparents (Barbara Schenck)
> 4. Nicknames for Grandparents ()
> 5. Re: names for grandparents ()
> 6. Re: APG Digest, Vol 3, Issue 125 ()
> 7. Re: Names for grandparents (Trish Nicola)
> 8. Nicknames for Grandparents (John)
> 9. Re: Names for grandparents (Richard A. Pence)
> 10. Re: Names for grandparents ()
> 11. Nicknames for grandparents (Margaret T)
> 12. Re: Names for grandparents (Randy Seaver)
> 13. Jewish given name question ()
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:50:37 -0600
> From: "John Wylie" <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To: <>
> Message-ID: <002b01c8763c$377ca4d0$>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hey fellow family historians.
>
> This is a productive discussion. The real test for each of us writing
> about
> how our families handled names is (drum roll please) . . .
>
> *** Have you recorded this in your documented family history? ***
>
> As the youngest of my siblings, I recall some of the terms my twin and I
> used for relatives but I have not idea why. So, I've emailed my siblings
> asking for their memories which, in my family, universally results in a
> debate <g>. With that input, I'll then share with cousins, and even more
> relatives.
>
> John Wylie
>
> PS Why bother? Well, I do my own research for the great-great-grandchild
> I
> will never meet. I'm certain s/he will find this family-lore irresistible.
>
> J
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:] On Behalf
> Of
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 10:02 AM
> To: ;
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
>
> In our family, we all (siblings and cousins) called our maternal
> grandparents Grammie and Grampie, and to this day, refer to them as
> Grammie
> and
> Grampie (no d sound). Although I have no documentation, <g> I am pretty
> sure
> that
> is what my mother and her three sisters called their paternal
> grandparents.
> My five siblings and I called our paternal grandmother, Nana. Nana
> lived
> with her mother in Lynn, Mass., and we called her Great Nana - these were
> New
> England women, no Southern roots. We called our paternal grandfather
> Grampie
>
> MacInnes. He and Nana were divorced and when he remarried, his wife became
> Aunt Esther.
> My siblings and I have continued with the *tradition,* and we are
> called
> Grammie and Grampie by our grandchildren. However, our oldest grandchild
> had
>
> difficulty pronouncing Grampie. It was clear she was addressing him, but
> it
> sounded something like Bopie - so he became Bopie and is called that by
> all
> four
> grandchildren.
> Joan Hunter
>
>
> **************
> Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on
> AOL Living.
>
> (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-du
> ffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>
>
>
>
>
> .
>
> -------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to
> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in
> the subject and the body of the message
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:11:00 -0500
> From: Bob Velke <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
> My wife's great-grandmother decided many years ago that she was much
> too young to be called "Grandma" so she told the youngsters to call
> her "G.G." Only the adults knew that it stood for "glamorous
> grandmother."
>
> My wife's father is known by adults and children alike as
> "Binka." That was the sound his first grandchild made when trying to
> say "Grandpa" and the name stuck.
>
> Bob Velke
> Wholly Genes, Inc.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:16:07 -0600
> From: "Barbara Schenck" <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Nicknames for grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID:
> <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I was born in California with a dad from Oklahoma (and long Southern
> roots)
> and a mother from Montana (with German and recent immigrant Cornish
> roots).
> The Montana grandparents, whom I saw the most were, to me and my cousins,
> Gran'ma and Gran'pa. We always spelled it with the "d" but it was never
> pronounced. My dad's mother was Gran'ma Jewel (her name). My stepdad's
> father was Grandad. I was his oldest grandchild and as the others came
> along, he became G.P. (Grandpa Perkins) which is how he is still referred
> to
> by his children and grandchildren.
>
> My own grandkids call me Gran'ma or Gran or Granny. My mother is "Grandma
> Ruth" or, "Grandma Goof" as my oldest granddaughter christened her before
> she could say "Ruth."
>
> My Cornish grandmother referred to her long-deceased father as "Grandad
> Nute" when talking to his grandchildren. His wife, Mary, was Grandma
> Castle
> (the name of her third husband). My dad was always very formal and called
> his grandparents "Grandmother Jenkins" and "Grandfather Jenkins" even to
> their faces, apparently. I asked him once and he said that was what they
> all
> did. But frankly, I'm not sure I believe him.
>
> Interesting thread, Carolyn. Thank you.
>
> Barbara
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:18:23 -0500
> From:
> Subject: [APG] Nicknames for Grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> This is quite an interesting thread.? I was born in N.Carolina, raised in
> Florida, Texas and finally Georgia.? We called my father's parents
> Grandma/Grandpa and her father was living we called him Great Grandpa
> Bivins.? My mother's parents we called Granny/Grand Daddy.
>
> I now have grandchildren, a 5 yr old step grandson and I did not want to
> be called anything but grandmama.? My step grandson came into my life when
> he was 14 months old and started out with
> ?Am mamma and now calls me Grandmama.? Strangely he calls his mother's
> mother Neetnoh?????? and PeePaw now changing to Grandpa.? Don't ask, I
> haven't got a clue.? Poor fellow once told me he has
> sooooooooooooooooooooooo many grandparents.? LOL Including a great mama,
> great grandaddy Snow and her grandmother he calls Mimi (pronouced Mimmy)
> My grand daughter is just 2 and a half she did say mam mamma but is now
> using the gam mama and I will teach her Grand Mama.? She also calls the
> mothers mother Neetnoh.? Has anyone every heard of that??
>
> Linda
>
>
>
> ?
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail ! -
> http://webmail.aol.com
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:24:58 -0800 (PST)
> From:
> Subject: Re: [APG] names for grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID:
> <>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Great topic and I hope something written comes from this discussion.
>
> For me it was Nana and Grandjack. I have no idea how Nana developed, but
> Grandjack came from the fact that he was Nana?s second husband and not the
> father of my mother. This is northern California.
>
> Carmen Finley
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:24:13 EST
> From:
> Subject: Re: [APG] APG Digest, Vol 3, Issue 125
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>
> In a message dated 2/23/2008 1:03:28 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> writes:
>
>> I was pleased to see an upcoming genealogical cruise mentioned as
>> my husband
>> and I have been invited to present lectures on the TIARA Irish
>> Genealogy
>> Cruise in January 2009. This will be our second such outing and we
>> recall
>> that after Sean's lecture on our first cruise, we repaired to the
>> pool deck
>> for drinks and Sean felt a little strange in his usual lecture suit
>> and tie.
>> While he tends to be an old fashioned Irishman, he has begun to
>> rethink his
>> choice of the Magee tweed suit for our TIARA cruise.
>>
>> Given the circumstances, not to mention the heat, we'd love to hear
>> what
>> other lecturers consider the dress code is in the Caribbean.
>>
>> Happy Cruising to all who are taking to the seas in the 1008-09
>> season.
>>
>> Eileen M. ? D?ill, CG
>> 47 Delwood Road
>> Castleknock
>> Dublin 15
>> Ireland
>
>
>
> Eileen,
>
> Glad to hear you and Sean are doing another Genealogy Cruise. We enjoyed
> the
> one we did togethether.
>
> We will be doing our third in September. The speakers generally dress a
> little more comfortably, slacks and shirt or polo for the men. Save the
> jacket
> and tie for the dining room affairs.
>
> _http://www.rootsmagiccruise.com/_ (http://www.rootsmagiccruise.com/)
>
> Gary M. Smith
> APG Great Lakes Chapter Sec / Treas.
> GSG National Conference Coordinator
> ISFHWE Director
> (mailto:)
>
>
>
> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
> (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:26:29 -0800
> From: "Trish Nicola" <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To: <>
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> My kids call their grandparents of Lebanese heritage Sity (grandmother) &
> Jido (grandfather). On my side it was Grandma and Grandpa Hackett.
>
> I can't wait to see what my title will be but it will probably be a couple
> more years.
>
> Trish
>
> Patricia "Trish" Hackett Nicola, CG
> www.familytraces.com
> Seattle, WA
> CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for
> Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic
> evaluations
> by the Board. http://www.BCGcertification.org/
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:] On Behalf
> Of Jan E. Tripp
> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 8:41 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
>
> Our grand-daughter calls my wife "Tete," which (at least as I understand
> it)
> is an endearing Arabic term for Grandmother. My wife and her girl cousins
> continued to address their "Grandma Francis" in person as "Tete" well into
> her 90s. A number of her cousins also called "Tete" by their own
> grandchildren so the tradition lives on.
>
> In my family it was "Grandma" and "Grandpa."
>
> -Jan-
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
>
> -------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to
> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in
> the subject and the body of the message
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:36:49 -0600
> From: John <>
> Subject: [APG] Nicknames for Grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID:
> <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Foreign languages aren't exactly the same as nicknames, but in Yiddish
> it's Bubbe (grandma) and Zayde (grandpa). (And, I find this
> interesting, a Bubbe Mayse "Grandmother's Tale" is the equivalent of
> an Old Wife's Tale)
>
> I'm in Missouri and always used Grandma and Grandpa for both sets of
> grandparents.
>
> My father is called PawPaw by his grandchildren (my brother's children)
> My mother is 'Grandma', while their other grandmother (from Ohio) is
> 'Granny"
>
> John Newmark
> St. Louis, MO
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:38:14 -0500
> From: "Richard A. Pence" <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To: <>
> Message-ID: <003401c87642$de7a5f60$>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> I guess I had no imagination. I called my paternal grandmother, who lived
> next door, "Grandma." I called my maternal granmother, who lived with us,
> "Grandma."
>
> I wouldn't have dared do anything else!
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 10
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:52:33 EST
> From:
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> I hope you all realize how lucky you are to have had living grandparents
> to
> call "grandma" or whatever name you used. My paternal grandparents died
> two
> months apart one year before I was born--so I never knew them. Perhaps
> this was
> part of the reason for my early interest in learning more about family
> history. The only elderly paternal family member I had was my grand-aunt
> Mary who
> lived to be 90 and was a treasure-trove of family information. I just
> called
> her Aunt Mary as did my father.
>
> On my mom's side -- since she was the youngest of 8 children (4 from her
> father's first marriage and 4 from his second) my grandparents were quite
> old by
> the time I was born when my mom was 34. My grandmother on mom's side died
> when I was 7 and although my maternal grandfather lived to the age of 88
> I don't
> really recall what I called either of them. Sad! My maternal grandfather
> was a formidable figure for me--very strict and straight-laced
> teatottling
> Baptist deacon. So, if I called him ANYTHING it would probably have been
> "grandfather" but as I recall I pretty much kept a distance because
> children should
> be "seen and not heard." I know my mother always called him "father" and
> not
> "dad." Kind of a stiff upper lip English thing perhaps.
>
> However, I do remember different names for my aunts and uncles. I had an
> Aunt Anna and yet I had an Auntie Chris. I think we most likely take what
> we
> call them from what they originally tell us to call them. I know my Auntie
> Chris
> always told me to call her Auntie. She was my aunt by marriage--but so was
> Aunt Anna -- so I doubt that makes much difference.
>
> Joan
> ------------
> I guess I had no imagination. I called my paternal grandmother, who lived
> next door, "Grandma." I called my maternal granmother, who lived with us,
> "Grandma."
>
> I wouldn't have dared do anything else!
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
>
> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
> (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:07:03 -0800 (PST)
> From: Margaret T <>
> Subject: [APG] Nicknames for grandparents
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Thanks for a fun and light-hearted discussion this cold Saturday morning.
>
>
> I called my maternal grandparents: Mamaw and papaw; their other
> grandchildren called them Grandma and Grandpa.
>
> I called my paternal grandmother: Grandma.
> and my step grandfather: Mr. Williams.
>
> I called my great-grandmother: Grandma Woods.
>
> My children call their paternal grandmother: Granny.
>
> They called their maternal grandmother: Grandmother (she insists on being
> called this just as she insisted on being called Mother).
> Maternal grandfather: papaw.
>
> They called my maternal grandmother: Great-Gran.
> She is called Grandma James by the majority of her other great and
> great-great grandchildren.
>
> We have a friend called Memaw.
> I had two older ladies in my life called Ma when I was growing up.
>
> I will be called Mimi- at least that is what I want to be called.
>
> My sister's children call their paternal grandparents: Nana and Papaw.
> My other sister's childern call their paternal grandparents: Granddaddy
> and Mamaw.
>
> I have a friend that is called JuJu and her husband is called Big Daddy
> Doc.
>
> Margaret from Tennessee
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 12
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:09:36 -0800
> From: "Randy Seaver" <>
> Subject: Re: [APG] Names for grandparents
> To: <>, <>
> Message-ID: <009101c87647$3fb8f260$>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Carolyn,
>
> You've gotten a lot of answers so far - please do write _something_ about
> them.
>
> Here are mine:
>
> Nana - my mother called her maternal grandmother this (San Diego CA)
> Nana - my children and my niece called my mother this (she requested it)
> (San Diego CA)
> Nana - my wife and her brother called their paternal grandmother this (San
> Francisco CA area)
>
> Nana Seaver - my brothers and I called our paternal grandmother this
> because
> she lived in Massachusetts.
>
> Gram - my brothers and I called my maternal grandmother this (San Diego
> CA)
> Gramp - my brothers and I called my maternal grandfather this (San Diego
> CA)
>
> Pop-pop - my children and my niece called my father this (San Diego
> area) -
> this kind of goes with Nana, eh? The story here is that when I married
> Linda, my Massacusetts born father called her Linder. So Linder called
> him
> Popper and my mother Mommer. It was a short jump to Pop-pop for the
> grandkids, but my mother wanted to be called Nana.
>
> Oo-hoo - my wife and her brother called their maternal grandmother this
> (San
> Francisco CA). The story here is that whenever they went to visit thier
> grandmother, their mother would open the front door and shout "Yoo-hoo."
> Their grandmother would always answer "Yoo-hoo" and come quickly. The
> kids
> figured her name was "Yoo-hoo" but could say only "Oo-hoo." What a dear!
>
> Papa Lee and Mama Lee - my children called their maternal grandparents
> these
> names. His name was Lee Leland, so that's how it came about (San
> Francisco
> CA)
>
> GrandStan - my brother's grandson calls him this (San Diego CA). His
> given
> name is Stanley. The name fits... I've resisted being called GrandRand!
>
> Gramma - my 4-year old grandson calls my wife this now (San Diego CA)
> Mamma - my 3-year old granddaughter calls my wife this, but is working on
> Gramma (San Diego CA)
>
> Grampa - my 4-year old grandson calls me this now (San Diego CA)
> Baba - my 3-year old granddaughter calls me this now (San Diego CA) but is
> working on Grampa.
>
> Thanks for the blog fodder! -- Randy Seaver (boring hundreds of readers
> daily at http://randysmusings.blogspot.com)
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 9:38 PM
> Subject: [APG] Names for grandparents
>
>
>> Recently I came across a couple who were called MeeMaw and PeePaw by
>> their
>> grandchildren. (And I hope nobody out there is called this, because I
>> think PeePaw is hilarious!)
>>
>> This started me thinking about all the variations: MawMaw/PawPaw,
>> Grandma/Grandpa; Granny/Gramps; Nanny/Pappy; PapPaw; Grandmommy; Big
>> Mama/Big Papa; etc. Two of my grandchildren have a grandfather called
>> "G.D."--I suppose for Granddad, although other things come to my mind
>> <g>.
>>
>> I think grandparent names are like parent names; that is, they consist of
>> sounds that a small child can say. Mama and Dada or Mommy and Daddy are
>> easy for toddlers to pronounce; you don't hear many 4-year-olds calling
>> their parents "mother" and "father," leastways not where I come from <g>.
>>
>> Any and all input invited. I'm just curious . . . although if I really
>> find a pattern, I might turn the results into a short (and possibly
>> humorous) article--with proper attribution of sources, of course.
>> Regards,
>> Carolyn
>>
>> Carolyn Earle Billingsley, Ph.D.
>> 2100 Pleasant Grove, Alexander, AR 72002-9154
>> www.cebillingsley.net
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 13
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:12:38 EST
> From:
> Subject: [APG] Jewish given name question
> To:
> Message-ID: <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> While we are on the topic of names in general, I have a question about
> some
> Jewish research I'm doing for a friend. This is a new area of research for
> me.
>
> My friend's husband's grandfather immigrated to New York from Latvia and
> later settled in Pennsylvania arriving in America in1899. I was told his
> given
> name was Samuel B. I easily found him on the 1920 and 1930 census where
> he did
> state they he had immigrated in 1899. But I couldn't find him on any
> earlier census and asked my friend to check whether there might have been
> a name
> change at any point after his arrival in America.
>
> She contacted her husband's aunt who replied that the grandfather's actual
> given name was Keseil B. My question is whether Keseil is a Jewish version
> of
> Samuel or whether he just adopted a new American-sounding name of Samuel?
> He
> probably never changed his name formally as I find him listed as Keseil on
> his
> WWII draft registration.
>
> The US Census listings say he was from "Beusk Russia" and I've learned
> that
> he was born in the town of Bausk in Latvia.
>
> Joan
>
>
>
>
> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
> (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To contact the APG list administrator, send an email to
> .
>
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>
> End of APG Digest, Vol 3, Issue 129
> ***********************************
>
>
>
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>

This thread: